Overview and Quick Check
Overview and Quick Check
There are a wide variety of pathways to legally immigrate to Germany. I will be detailing the basics here, but you can visit this website for more detailed information. Additionally, as a quick check to your easiest pathway to Germany, you can take this quiz. Don't worry if it does not show a pathway at first, you may still have options. See below for more information.
Do you want to become one degree hotter while also leaving the US? Not only is it possible, it is also free (mostly).
If you want to get your Bachelors Degree in Germany, you will first have to attend a Studienkolleg (preparatory college). This is a free one year long preparation course to make sure that you have the skills required to meet the rigor of the German education system. Most cities have one of these courses, so google the city that you are interested in plus "studienkolleg" to find out how to apply. These courses are only taught in German, and require at least a B2 level to participate. If you plan to go this route the time to start learning German is now. Even though the Studienkolleg is only taught in German, there are still some Bachelors programs taught in English. However, the courses of study are limited. If you already have a few years of your Bachelors completed, you may be able to apply directly to a German Bachelors program without a Studienkolleg.
Here is an extensive list of what you must have completed to qualify for a bachelors program without taking a Studienkolleg:
at least half of the credits required for your bachelor’s degree (usually around 60 credits)
5 subjects from the core curriculum which are independent from one another, including English, a second language, mathematics, and one of the following science subjects: biology, chemistry, or physics
3 of these 5 subjects must have been taken with 3 consecutive courses (e.g. ENG 101, ENG 102, ENG 103 or MATH 102, MATH 202, MATH 311, etc.)
Only courses completed at college level with at least grade C can be taken into consideration. If you do not meet all of these criteria, the completion of the Studienkolleg will be necessary.
If you are interested in this path, check out My German University. It is a free website that will show you all of the degree programs in Germany, allowing you to sort by area and cost. All public programs are free in Germany, as education is considered a human right. The only cost you have to pay for is a semester fee, which costs €200-350. Private programs can cost several thousand euros, so I do not recommend choosing one of those. Once you find a program that you would like to attend, you will apply either directly to the University, or via the Uni Assist website. You can check how you need to apply on the program website. Typically, there will be a fee less than €100.
This pathway does require that you have enough money to support yourself while living in Germany. It differs based on your age. If you are under 24, the amount is €11,904 per year, which equals €992 per month. If you are over 24, that amount is €13,092 or €1091 per month. To do this, you will have to set up a blocked account. A blocked account is a special type of bank account that pays you out a portion of the money you put into it each month. You can set up a blocked account through websites such as Expatrio, which also gives you access to a bank account and the opportunity to set up insurance. You may be able to take out a personal loan to meet this requirement if you have a good credit score. There are two main options if this is not possible for you. If you have a parent who is willing to support your studies, they will need to notarize a letter stating that they will do so, along with bank statements and pay stubs. They must be able to prove that their income can support themselves as well as your stay in Germany. The Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners authority) will be the one to approve this. Whether or not they approve it is up to each individual jurisdiction. I have not done this personally so I cannot guarantee that it will work. I would recommend doing additional research on the individual jurisdiction you plan to stay in. Additionally, you can attempt to apply for scholarships that will pay you the necessary amount monthly. For that, you can visit the DAAD website. As a note, most scholarships are very competitive and are only available to begin in the winter semester, which starts in October in Germany.
While on a student visa, you are allowed to get a part time job of up to 20 hours per week. I would recommend trying to get a job as soon as possible so that you do not have to provide another blocked account to renew your visa after one year. As minimum wage is around €15/hour in Germany, this amount of work will be sufficient to support yourself and meet visa requirements.
If you have already completed your Bachelors degree, you are eligible to apply directly to a Masters degree program in Germany without having to attend a Studienkolleg. Most Master degree programs in Germany are taught in English. Use My German University to find a program that works for you. It is a free website that will show you all of the degree programs in Germany, allowing you to sort by area and cost. All public programs are free in Germany, as education is considered a human right. The only cost you have to pay for is a semester fee, which costs €200-350. Private programs can cost several thousand euros, so I do not recommend choosing one of those. Once you find a program that you would like to attend, you will apply either directly to the University, or via the Uni Assist website. You can check how you need to apply on the program website. Typically, there will be a fee less than €100, and you may have to take an exam which can include extra fees.
This pathway does require that you have enough money to support yourself while living in Germany. It differs based on your age. If you are under 24, the amount is €11,904 per year, which equals €992 per month. If you are over 24, that amount is €13,092 or €1091 per month. To do this, you will have to set up a blocked account. A blocked account is a special type of bank account that pays you out a portion of the money you put into it each month. You can set up a blocked account though websites such as Expatrio, which also gives you access to a bank account and the opportunity to set up insurance. You may be able to take out a personal loan to meet this requirement if you have a good credit score. There are two main options if this is not possible for you. If you have a parent who is willing to support your studies, they will need to notarize a letter stating that they will do so, along with bank statements and pay stubs. They must be able to prove that their income can support themselves as well as your stay in Germany. The Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners authority) will be the one to approve this. Whether or not they approve it is up to each individual jurisdiction. I have not done this personally so I cannot guarantee that it will work. I would recommend doing additional research on the individual jurisdiction you plan to stay in. Additionally, you can attempt to apply for scholarships that will pay you this amount monthly. For that, you can visit the DAAD website. As a note, most scholarships are very competitive and only available to begin in the winter semester, which starts in October in Germany.
While on this visa type, you are allowed to get a part time job of up to 20 hours per week. I would recommend trying to get a job as soon as possible so that you do not have to provide another blocked account to renew your visa after one year. As minimum wage is around €15/hour in Germany, this amount of work will be sufficient to support yourself and meet visa requirements.
Perhaps university is not quite your style, and you prefer more hands on learning. In this case, consider completing vocational training in Germany. This is the German equivalent of trade schools in the US, and is how you become certified in jobs such as being an electrician, painter, or construction worker. There are many positive benefits to choosing this route. To name a few:
You get paid while completing the training.
You get hands on experience to find a job you love.
You get a legal pathway to move to Germany.
This is one of the cheapest options.
If this sounds right for you, you need to start learning German ASAP. These programs require a minimum of B1 German to enroll. Luckily, I have compiled a massive list of free learning resources that you can use to achieve this. Find that information here. The timeline to get to a B1 level of German varies based on how much effort you put in. However, it can be done in less than six months if you are dedicated.
With that disclaimer, here are a few places you can find vocational training in Germany:
Das Handwerk: A tool where you can find vocational training options based on what you like. This includes options to work indoors or outdoors, alone or with a team, and much more. This website doesn't require any sign-up to begin searching, so it is a good starting point.
Check-U: If you are not quite sure what you would like or what you would be good at, you can try taking this test to help you decide. It is comprehensive (about 90 minutes total) so make sure you have enough time to complete the test. After completion, it will recommend a few vocational training opportunities for you based on how you answered.
Berufe Navi: If you already know what you would be interested in, this website can help you find where to complete your training. You enter your search term and the area in which you would like to complete your training and it will give you all of your options.
These websites are all in German, but you can use website browser or AI tools to help you translate. Most programs take 1-3 years to complete and require at least a high school diploma to qualify for. Once you have qualified, applied, and been accepted to a program, you can start planning your move to Germany, which you can find more information for here.
Important note: In order to get a visa for this type of program, you need to have a contract stating that you will earn at least €1,048 per month before taxes.
Perhaps you already completed a degree or technical school program and already have experience in your career. Germany has a labor shortage specifically in the following industries:
Manufacturing, mining, construction, or distribution managers
Information and communications technology service managers
Professional services managers, such as child care or health services managers
Veterinarians
Dentists
Pharmacists
Nursing or midwifery professionals
School and out-of-school teachers and educators
You can start your job search while still in the US. Check here to make sure your profession is not regulated, or if it is regulated that you have the proper qualifications. You can look into the process of getting your qualifications recognized in Germany. However, if you would like to job search while in Germany, you will have to get a special visa. To help fill these shortages, Germany has the Chancenkarte or "Opportunity Card". In short, it gives you a year to search for a job in your field in Germany. During this search, you can work up to 20 hours a week at any job. These cards are awarded based on a point system of your qualifications. To see if you qualify you can take this quiz. This pathway does require that you have enough money to support yourself while living in Germany. As of May 2026, that amount is €13,092 that must be placed in a blocked account. The blocked account will then pay you €1,091 per month that you can use to cover living expenses, like housing and food. You can set up a blocked account though websites such as Expatrio, which also gives you access to a bank account and the opportunity to set up insurance. You may be able to take out a personal loan to meet this requirement if you have a good credit score. More information for this opportunity can be found here.
If your ancestors lost their German citizenship due to Nazi persecution on the basis of political, racial or religious grounds between 30 January 1933 and 8 May 1945, you are eligible for German citizenship. In order to claim this citizenship, you must be able to provide proof of your relation to this person, such as birth or marriage certificates. Additionally, you must provide proof that they once had German citizenship such as a passport or expellee document. If you have trouble finding this information in your personal family records, there are online databases such as Arolsen Archives that may be able to help. Once you have this, you can find more information on if your ancestors lost their citizenship or if they were denied citizenship that they would have otherwise qualified for, and your local German Consulate should be able to help you complete the process.
Do you have direct family members already living in Germany? There are certain instances in which you could join them under a family reunification visa.
The situations in which you would qualify for this are as follows:
If you are married or have a registered partnership to someone who qualifies for German residency or is a German citizen.
If you have children under 18 years old who live in Germany or have German citizenship.
My husband came to Germany with me on a family reunification visa. Because we are married, and I am attending school, he was able to move with me.
You will have to prove that the person who is getting this visa has the financial means to support basic necessities. If you will be getting a blocked account, each person will need their own.
If you know that you will soon qualify to attend a university or vocational training program, you can get a visa for up to nine months that will give you the opportunity to live in Germany while you find it. I have not met anyone who has done this, but you can read about the requirements here under section 17. You must be under 35, while currently meeting the requirements to study or attend a vocational program in Germany, or you will meet the requirements during the time of the visa. You must also be able to pay for your expenses while living in Germany. While this law does not mention a specific dollar amount, my best guess is that it would be around the same as the Chancenkarte, €1,091 per month x 9 months equals €9819. You may be able to take out a personal loan to meet this requirement if you have a good credit score. This, along with your 90 day visa free stay, will allow you to stay for a whole year in Germany. While under this visa type, you are also allowed to get a job for up to 20 hours per week. I would recommend starting this job search as soon as possible to prevent you from needing another blocked account to renew your visa after one year if you plan on studying in Germany. As minimum wage is around €15/hour in Germany, this amount of work will be sufficient to support yourself and meet further visa requirements.
If you have any sort of job where you work online, such as a graphic designer, writer, or online teacher, you can do it from Germany. This is the other cheapest option to move to Germany. The residence permit type that you would get is a residence permit for the purpose of freelance employment. To qualify for this, you would have to show that the job provides you enough money to cover your expenses in Germany, around €1091 per month. Check here to make sure your profession is not regulated, or if it is regulated that you have the proper qualifications. If you have the proper certifications, look into what the process would be to get your qualifications recognized in Germany based on where you want to live.